I’ve been retired now for some time and although my eyesight is an issue sometimes, my hearing and other senses are just fine. I say this because one of my neighbors is a firefighter, a noble profession, BUT - he’s joined a marching band and of all the instruments to play, it had to be the bagpipes.

This instrument seems to be bit of ethnic and firefighter’s professional pride - the bagpipes that is, and he’s in the learning stages of huffing and puffing, squeezing and working the flue style pipe or pipes.

Since most everyone around us works during the day, I’m home listening to this future “piper” ,as they’re called, prefect his craft. I gotta say that I’ve heard male cats in heat, hit notes better than this guy. But, being that he’s six (6) feet four(4) and a husky guy at that, I endure.

I gotta hand it to the those armies that marched into battle playing the bagpipes. If I was a commander on the other side of the field, I’d think twice before upsetting those guys.

A coach that I meet at our local Dunkin Doughnuts suggested something that just might do the trick and make life easier for me. This neighbor has a twelve(12) year old son. A nice kid who is also in a marching band. I think I’ll go on the internet and find a cheap set of snare drums for the kid, stick a bow on it, and drop it off on their back step - FROM SANTA. The kid usually comes home around 4pm. Just in time for all sorts of fun.

You will then have to listen to bagpipes during the day and then drums at night when the kid is home and is practicing in the garage!!

Get yourself some nice wireless headphones and enjoy the TV or some “better” music!

As a kid that went to a High School who’s mascot was the Highlander, I know all to well what a ton of bagpipes going through the learning process can be like! Thank God most of my classes were not near the music room!

Yeah, I know. Just kidding. Besides, the kid is really into dirt bikes and that …ring-ding-ding… dirt bike noise that the family has to listen to when he’s doing the motocross thing is justice to my ears…